Culture Matters:
Award ceremonies have long been used by people in the media and entertainment industry to make statements about our world. Occasionally controversial, one consistent theme revisited year after year is culture and impact on content. One of the most memorable statements was when, in 1973, Marlon Brando refused the Best Actor Academy Award for his role in "The Godfather." Native American actress Sacheen Littlefeather took to the stage and declined the award due to Brando's views of "the treatment of American Indians by the film industry, of TV movie reruns, and also recent happenings at Wounded Knee." Littlefeather thanked the audience for their indulgence and said her hope was "…in the future, our hearts and understandings will meet with love and generosity."
Dick Cavett interviewed Brando and asked why he did it. Brando replied it was to call attention to the fact that continued degrading depictions of American Indians, minorities, and other cultures in movies and TV harm them. As one of the industry's biggest stars and with an anticipated audience of 85 million people, Brando felt he had the freedom and responsibility to criticize Hollywood for perpetuating stereotypes. He was one of the first to say publicly that it was harmful for "American Indians and all other minorities" to be "represented as savage, as ugly, as nasty, vicious, treacherous, and drunk." The effect was, he said, to cause their children to "they grow up only with a negative image of themselves and it lasts a lifetime." He was glad he allowed Littlefeather to make her statement.
Forty-eight years later, Reservation Dogs creator Sterlin Harjo said, "We are here on television's biggest night as creators and actors, proud to be Indigenous people working in Hollywood, representing the first people to walk upon this continent, and we are really happy to be here." Actor 'D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai said, "Thankfully, networks and streamers are now—now—beginning to produce and develop shows created by and starring Indigenous people." Devery Jacobs, who plays Elora Danan Postoak in the series, added, "It's a good start, which can lead us to the day when telling stories from underserved communities will be the norm, not the exception." Paulina Alexis, who plays Willie Jack, closed their remarks, saying, "Because, like life, TV is at its best when we all have a voice."
Yara Shahidi, star and Executive Producer of "Grown-ish," mentioned when presenting the award for "Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series" how television and culture "…should affect things. Setting the tone not for today, but tomorrow."
Lucia Aniello, producer of the HBO series "Hacks," spoke about "wanting to make a show that honors anybody who struggled to tell their stories, especially women who never got to tell their story at all because the world wasn't listening."
Television Academy President and CEO Frank Scherma said, "Television has always been a place to come together and share our most valuable resource: stories. We laugh, cry, learn and watch television as a family and as a community. And it's so great to see that television and the stories that we tell are finally becoming a reflection of every part of our society. Voices of black, Latinx, Asian American, and Indigenous creators, along with the LGTQBIA+, neurodiverse and disabled communities are being heard by larger audiences than ever before. These stories touch all of us as part of our shared human experience. We've only started this next evolution where content represents who we are as a global population. And when we see other perspectives, besides our own, we move beyond simply acknowledging our differences and begin to understand and celebrate them."
In accepting the Governor's Award, Debbie Allen said, "Let this moment resonate with women across this country and across the world, from Texas to Afghanistan. Let them know, and with young people who have no vote who can't even get a vaccine, they're inheriting the world that we leave them. It's time for them to claim their power. Claim your voice. Sing your song. Tell your story. It will make us a better place. Your turn."
We'll never know if Marlon Brando would agree that the M&E industry is doing better at representing minority populations in film and on TV in positive ways. Getting to where they can write and produce their own content has been too long in coming, but it is a move in the right direction.
The number of people of color who win industry awards remains lower than many would like. However, the plethora of new distribution platforms and increasing demand from the public for their cultural stories create more opportunities for their work to be seen and their talents to be recognized. The statements at this year's Emmy Awards reflect the importance culture has on influencing stories and how they can, as Sacheen Littlefeather hoped, lead to "love and generosity." Culture matters.
